PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           14 December 2000                  
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR2000045134

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mr. Carl W. S. Chun		Director	
	Ms. Wanda L. Waller		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Ms. June Hajjar 		Chairperson	
	Mr. Hubert O. Fry		Member	
	Mr. Richard T. Dunbar		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests correction of item 30 (Battles and Campaigns) on his WD AGO Form 0150-4 (Transcript from Enlisted Record) to show the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Northern Solomons Campaign and the New Guinea Campaign; that item 31 (Decorations and Citations) be corrected to show award of the Purple Heart (Second Oak Leaf Cluster), the Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge; and that item 32 (Wounds Received in Action) be corrected to show that he was wounded in New Georgia and in “Russel” Island in 1943. 

3.  The applicant states, in effect, that he is entitled to these corrections on his discharge document.  In support of his application, he submits a letter, dated
6 July 2000, from the Department of Veterans Affairs in Hartford, Connecticut; a copy of his WD AGO Form 0150-4; a copy of a Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Honorable Discharge dated 30 September 1946; an eyewitness statement dated 30 January 1985; and an eyewitness statement dated
2 February 1985. 

4.  The applicant’s military records were destroyed or lost during the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.  Records available to the Board were obtained from alternate sources and show the applicant enlisted in the National Guard of Connecticut on 11 July 1940.  He was inducted into active Federal service on 24 February 1941 and served as a machine gunner, messenger and light truck driver in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations from 22 October 1942 to 6 December 1943.  The applicant was honorably separated on 
1 February 1944.  

5.  Item 30 (Battles and Campaigns) on the applicant’s WD AGO Form 0150-4 shows the entry “None”.  Item 31 (Decorations and Citations) on the WD AGO Form 0150-4 does not show the Purple Heart (Second Oak Leaf Cluster), the Good Conduct Medal or the Combat Infantryman Badge as authorized awards.  Item 32 (Wounds Received in Action) shows the entry “None”. 

6.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register, dated 6 July 1961, shows, among other information, campaign credit during World War II.  This document shows the unit to which the applicant was assigned, the 169th Infantry Regiment, received campaign credit for the Guadalcanal Campaign (7 August 1942-21 February 1943), the New Guinea Campaign (24 January 1943-31 December 1944) and the Northern Solomons Campaign (22 February 1943-21 November 1944).    

7.  There is no evidence in the available records which shows the applicant was injured or treated for wounds as a result of hostile action during World War II.  

8.  The applicant provided two eyewitness statements, dated 30 January 1985 and 2 February 1985,  from fellow soldiers attesting that the applicant’s ear problems were the result of combat exposure during World War II.    

9.  There is no evidence in the available records which shows the applicant was considered for the first award of the Good Conduct Medal.  There also is no evidence of record that his chain of command took any action to disqualify him from receiving the Good Conduct Medal.  There is no indication of indiscipline or other adverse action in the available records.

10.  Item 28 (Military Occupational Specialty and Number) on the applicant’s WD AGO Form 0150-5 shows the entries “Mch [machine] Gunner”, “Messenger” and “Truck Driver Light”.  His records shows he was assigned to Company M, 169th Infantry Regiment during his assignment in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations.  

11.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.  The bronze oak leaf cluster is awarded to denote the second and succeeding awards of certain decorations, among which is the Purple Heart.

12.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides that the Good Conduct Medal is awarded to individuals who distinguish themselves by their conduct, efficiency and fidelity during a qualifying period of active duty enlisted service.  The regulation states that, after 27 August 1940, three years of qualifying service was required for award of the Good Conduct Medal, but during the World War II era, the first award could be made based on one year of qualifying service provided that service occurred between 7 December 1941 to 2 March 1946.  The current standard for award of the Good Conduct Medal is 3 years of qualifying service, but as little as one year is required for the first award in those cases when the period of service ends with the termination of Federal military service.

13.  War Department Circular 269-1943 established the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Expert Infantryman Badge to recognize and provide an incentive to infantrymen.  The Expert Infantryman Badge was to be awarded for attainment of certain proficiency standards or by satisfactory performance of duty in action against the enemy.  The Combat Infantryman Badge was awarded for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy.  War Department Circular 186-1944 further provided that the Combat Infantryman Badge was to be awarded only to infantrymen serving with infantry units of brigade, regimental or smaller size.  Additionally, World War II holders of the Combat Infantryman Badge received a monthly pay supplement known as combat infantry pay and holders of the Expert Infantryman Badge were entitled to expert infantry pay.  Therefore, soldiers had economic as well as intangible reasons to ensure that their records were correct. Thus, pay records are frequently the best available source to verify entitlement to this award.  The Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, has advised in similar cases that, during World War II, the Combat Infantryman Badge was normally awarded only to enlisted individuals who served in the following positions:

    a.  Light machine gunner (604)
    b.  Heavy machine gunner (605)
    c.  Platoon sergeant (651)
    d.  Squad leader (653)
    e.  Rifleman (745)
     f.  Automatic rifleman (746)
    g.  Heavy weapons NCO (812)
    h.  Gun crewman (864)

14.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides, in pertinent part, that the Bronze Star Medal is awarded for heroism and for meritorious achievement or service in military operations against an armed enemy.  The Bronze Star Medal is authorized for each individual who was cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 or whose achievement or service, during that period, was confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947.  An award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge is considered to be a citation in orders.  This means, in effect, that the Bronze Star Medal is to be awarded to individuals who were authorized either badge for service during World War II.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.   The applicant’s unit received campaign credit for the Guadalcanal Campaign, the New Guinea Campaign and the Northern Solomons Campaign while he was assigned to it.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of item 30 (Battles and Campaigns) to show these campaigns.       

2.  The Board noted the two eyewitness statements submitted on behalf of the applicant.  However, these statements made over 40 years after the fact are not sufficient by themselves as a basis for award of the Purple Heart in view of evidence of record which shows the applicant was not wounded.  

3.  Item 32 (Wounds Received in Action) on the applicant’s discharge document shows the entry “None”.

4.  There is no evidence of record available to the Board which shows the applicant was wounded or treated for wounds as a result of hostile action during World War II.  Therefore, the applicant is not entitled to correction of his military records to show any award of the Purple Heart.  Also, there is no basis for correction of item 32 (Wounds Received in Action) on his WD AGO Form 0150-4. 

5.  As an exception to regulation, the applicant is entitled to the first award of the Good Conduct Medal based on completion of a period of qualifying Federal military service (active duty from 24 February 1941 through 1 February 1944).  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his military records to show this award.

6.  Evidence of record shows the applicant served in an infantry military occupational specialty while an assigned member of an infantry company during World War II.  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to award of the Combat Infantryman Badge and correction of his military records to show this award.

7.  Since the applicant is entitled to the Combat Infantryman Badge for his service during World War II, in accordance with the governing regulation, he is also entitled to award of the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge).  Therefore, the applicant is entitled to correction of his military records to show award of the Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge).

8.  In view of the foregoing findings and conclusions, it would be appropriate to correct the applicant’s records, but only as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected:

	a.  by adding the entries “Guadalcanal Campaign”, “New Guinea Campaign” and “Northern Solomons Campaign” in item 30 (Battles and Campaigns) on the WD AGO Form 0150-4 of the individual concerned; and 

	b.  by adding the entries “Good Conduct Medal”, “Combat Infantryman Badge” and “Bronze Star Medal (based on award of the Combat Infantryman Badge” in item 31 (Decorations and Citations) on the WD AGO Form 0150-4.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

JH_____  HOF_____  RTD____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		June Hajjar______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR2000045134	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	20001214	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	19440201	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR 615-369 Section II 	
DISCHARGE REASON	Certificate of Disability for Discharge	
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0056	
2.	107.0111	
3.	107.0014	
4.		
5.		
6.